Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

अविमुक्तं समासाद्य क्षेत्रं परमपावनम् । संस्थाप्य लिंगममृतं चंद्रेशाख्यं स्वनामतः

Transliteration

avimuktaṃ samāsādya kṣetraṃ paramapāvanam | saṃsthāpya liṃgamamṛtaṃ caṃdreśākhyaṃ svanāmataḥ

Translation

പരമപാവനമായ അവിമുക്ത ക്ഷേത്രത്തിലെത്തി, തന്റെ നാമത്തിൽ ‘ചന്ദ്രേശ’ എന്ന അമരലിംഗം സ്ഥാപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (sacred place)
• अविमुक्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अविमुक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; विशेष्य-रूपेण (place-name)

• समासाद्य: having approached
• समासाद्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having approached’

• क्षेत्रम्: the sacred field/region
• क्षेत्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परमपावनम्: supremely purifying
• परमपावनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम-पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्षेत्रम्)

• संस्थाप्य: having installed
• संस्थाप्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having established/installed’

• लिङ्गम्: (Śiva-)liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अमृतम्: immortal/nectar-like
• अमृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गम्)

• चंद्रेशाख्यम्: named ‘Candreśa’
• चंद्रेशाख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चंद्र-ईश-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (लिङ्गम्); ‘called Candra-īśa’

• स्वनामतः: by his own name
• स्वनामतः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्व-नामन्-तस् (प्रातिपदिक+तद्धित/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त), हेतौ/प्रकारे; ‘by/according to one’s own name’

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa context) to Agastya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Avimukta (Kāśī) – Candreśa-liṅga

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrimage-inquirer audience (ṛṣis/śaunaka-lineage in purāṇic frame)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Soma arrives in luminous Kāśī-Avimukta, performs liṅga-pratiṣṭhā; the newly established Candreśa-liṅga gleams, surrounded by sages, lamps, and Gaṅgā’s sanctifying presence.

Characters & Entities

• Avimukta (Kāśī)
• Liṅga
• Candreśa (Candreśvara)
• Soma (Candra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kāśī’s Avimukta is a supreme purifier; devotion culminates in establishing Śiva’s presence through a liṅga.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Avimukta-kṣetra in Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), specifically connected with Candreśvara (Candreśa) liṅga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Liṅga-pratiṣṭhā (installation of a Śiva-liṅga) is indicated as a meritorious act in Avimukta.